Green makeover for Sandridge Bridge

14 Feb 2012

A key gateway to Southbank has been earmarked by the City of Melbourne as possibly becoming “Melbourne’s most internationally iconic landmark in the city”.

The Sandridge Bridge connects Northbank and Southbank and leads into Queensbridge square. It is currently used as a pedestrian and bicycle path – but a significant section of it is unused and the council wants to capitalise on it.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has unveiled the $6 million concept, which will utilise the unused section of the bridge, and create a park oasis for all to enjoy.

He also pointed out that it was the unused section that the council wanted to upgrade.

“What we’d be doing here is take an unused part of the existing bridge and turn it into a place for people to relax, read a book in the shade of tree and you could even go and have a coffee or a snack in what will be a remarkable sustainable green building with a view like no other,” Cr Doyle said.

The council is hoping to fund the project through the Australian Government’s Liveable City’s Program Fund, and applied for funding support during December.

The proposal takes environmentally friendly projects to the extreme, featuring trees lining the bridge, sustainable water storage and a zero-carbon building with an eco café inside and vegetation on the roof.

“It would create a unique public place like no other in Melbourne and bolster an important connection between our city’s north and south banks over the Yarra,” Cr Doyle said.

The Lord Mayor boasted that these sort of initiatives are what makes Melbourne the city that it is, saying: “This is what makes Melbourne one of the best cities in the world, we are always looking to enhance these unused spaces in our city to bring them back to life, that is why Melbourne is so liveable.”

He also said the project was keeping in line with other plans the council has set for the future.

“This project compliments all of our sustainability programs and will again build on the number of capital works projects undertaken by the city that champion green and sustainable design in Melbourne,” Cr Doyle said.

“This project would embrace our Urban Forest and Open Space Strategies and our Southbank Structure plan whilst complement and respect the design and heritage significance of the bridge.”